Journo-rage: Fist fight in the Washington Post newsroom

By Michelle Malkin  •  November 2, 2009 05:56 PM

Funny. The Washington Post just recently ran a massive A1 story on the dangerous “incivility” of conservatives. Remember?

But their own reporters and editors can’t keep their own potty mouths and fists from flying when they disagree:

It’s come to this: The Washington Post Style section, for years known as “the sandbox” because it was a playground for sometimes immature writers, has turned into a boxing ring because one of the editors was revolted by a story that came across his desk on deadline.

Details are sketchy, but numerous witnesses report that veteran feature editor Henry Allen punched out feature writer Manuel Roig-Franzia on Friday. The fracas took place in sight of Post executive editor Marcus Brauchli’s office. Brauchli rushed to separate the two.

It should be noted that Allen is nearly seventy, but he served in the Marines in Vietnam. He also won a Pulitzer prize in 2000 for criticism. Both apparently came into play when Allen jumped Roig-Franzia.

According to many sources, the incident began when Style editor Ned Martel assigned a semi-political story to Monica Hesse and Roig-Franzia. Playing off of an inadvertent disclosure last week that many congressmen are being investigated for ethics violations, Martel asked the two Style writers to compile a list of similar disclosures in the past. They came up with a “charticle” with a dozen examples, starting with Robert E. Lee’s Civil War battle plans for Antietam showing up wrapped around cigars.

Allen took a look and didn’t like. He started ranting about the number of mistakes he had found.

Hesse at one point asked him to send the copy back to her. She got a bit teary at the verbal beatdown.

Allen, according to sources, said: “This is total crap. It’s the second worst story I have seen in Style in 43 years.”

Roig-Franzia then wandered into the newsroom. A veteran foreign correspondent, he has been turning out political features for Style. He heard Allen’s rant and stopped by his desk.

“Oh, Henry,” he supposedly said, “don’t be such a cocks—–.”

Allen lunged at Roig-Franzia, threw him to the newsroom floor, and started throwing punches. Roig-Franzia tried to fend him off. Brauchli and others pulled the two apart.

Paging the civility police…Emergency to report at 1150 15th St SW Washington, D.C…WaPo reporter/public discourse guardian Ann Gerhart, come in, please. Hello?

***

Heh: Treacher asks, “Which have seen more violence in 2009, tea parties or newsrooms?”

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Posted in: Washington Post

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Comments


  1. #1
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 6:03 pm, symrian said:

    They should do this to increase their paper’s circulation. Don’t report the news…be the news!

    I’m going to try and stop laughing now. =)

  2. #2
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 6:05 pm, TruthToBeTold said:

    It’s not incivility when the liberals do it. It’s just the way they are. Liberalism is a mental disease!

  3. #3
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 6:06 pm, hrobusto said:

    Let’s see…a thoughtful, intelligent comment I can make…NAH!

    HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

  4. #4
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 6:09 pm, rowsdower said:

    This is Fox News’ fault.

  5. #5
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 6:10 pm, d1carter said:

    I can’t wait to see how the Ombudsman covers this. He usually points out problems and the says the WaPo will handle this according to their high ethical standards.

  6. #6
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 6:14 pm, Regulus said:

    If the donkey media is right and Republicans are doomed, doomed in the Era of Hope-a-Dope… then the consolation prize is that after they have sent the last of the “R”s to the concentration camps, they’ll forthwith turn on each other.

  7. #7
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 6:15 pm, California Red said:

    Don’t believe it. This dispute at the “Style” desk was because someone was about to uncover the secret behind the crease in the pants.

  8. #8
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 6:16 pm, ArizonaNeanderthal said:

    Paging the civility police-keep out of it. Mr. Allen seems to have handled it the way it should have been handled.

    Now for a rematch on Pay For View! This Horrible Conservative Ogre would gladly sign up.

    HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! 2

  9. #9
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 6:21 pm, darkpixel said:

    Heh…

    I have the mental image of a young Robin Ventura charging the veteran Nolan Ryan, and being ownedby Ryan.

    Good for the editor for actually editing… and good for him for knowing what to do when “fighting words” are spoken.

    I’m sure he’ll be sent to some sort of EAP counseling and all will be better.

  10. #10
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 6:21 pm, sonofdy said:

    Why do I get the image of 2 young girls slap fighting?

  11. #11
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 6:28 pm, zorro said:

    I say put up a chainlink fence, give them all a bottle of whiskey and some boxing gloves and tell them to have at it. I’d check in the next morning to see who won.

  12. #12
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 6:30 pm, graysonret said:

    Typical of our society today, brought on as a consequence of liberal policies, disagreements are settled by violence. Some grown people never really achieved maturity. Such behavior usually brought a “pink slip”. Today, they’ll be nominated for the Pulitizer…or peace prize in literature.

  13. #13
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 6:55 pm, Blaise said:

    Allen, according to sources, said: “This is total crap. It’s the second worst story I have seen in Style in 43 years.”

    Can’t help but wonder which was the worst

  14. #14
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 6:57 pm, MacEamonn said:

    Isn’t it obvious to everyone that Mr. Allen is a racist, misogynist, closet conservative (must be since he’s a former Marine)? Otherwise this incident would have never happened.

  15. #15
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 7:08 pm, in_awe said:

    Let me understand this, the home of Woodward & Bernstein now have political articles written by the WaPo Style section?!

    OMG! LOL!

  16. #16
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 7:21 pm, greenfairie said:

    It sounds like somebody’s ready to retire.

  17. #17
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 7:28 pm, DBNinKY said:

    Humph, I thought the MSM said only News Corp employees were belligerent neanderthals?

    Whaddya bet this whole thing gets romanticized by the media as good ol’ fashioned, passionate journalism – and then promptly dismissed!

  18. #18
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 7:32 pm, rocketman said:

    ***
    Maybe both of them should be moved to the sports “beat”!
    ***
    Or maybe this is what used to be known as “two fisted” journalism.
    ***
    John Bibb
    ***

  19. #19
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 7:38 pm, chapoutier said:

    Those crazy WaPo feature writers! You never know what they will do next. I hear the REAL reason was because they were both sleeping with that tramp, The Empress of the Style Invitational.

  20. #20
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 7:38 pm, ArizonaNeanderthal said:

    On November 2nd, 2009 at 6:21 pm, sonofdy said:

    Why do I get the image of 2 young girls slap fighting?

    Are you talking about the WaPo or the MLK Parade in Phoenix?

  21. #21
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 7:39 pm, Pasadena Phil said:

    Wow! And not a Rage Kewpie in sight anywhere! Whodda thunk it!

  22. #22
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 7:40 pm, Pasadena Phil said:

    Perry White used to get like that… Oh wait. That was just a cartoon.

  23. #23
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 7:51 pm, ThackerAgency said:

    haha, funny story.

    70 year old men are not frail by any stretch. . . especially if they are mad.

    Go ahead Democrats. . . see what happens when you get a whole nation of them riled up by cutting their Medicare by 500B to cover young healthy people. . . I dare you.

  24. #24
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 7:54 pm, Elm Creek Smith said:

    My money would have been on the 70 year old former Marine. Only a metrosexual punk would be surprised that a man would take umbrage at being called a “$*$&%^$@#@.”

    This is the most telling part of the story:

    Roig-Franzia tried to fend him off.

    Translation: Roig-Franzia got his a$$ kicked by the old guy.

    ECS

  25. #25
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 8:00 pm, ArizonaNeanderthal said:

    Roig-Franzia will have to suck up on this one for years. Roig-Franzia goes into a bar, Roig-Franzia gets whipped. Roig-Franzia goes into the men’s room, Roig-Franzia gets whipped. Parking lot, grocery store and such. Save your neighbors the trouble and paint a target on your sissy butt. Perry White was a cartoon character and Roig-Franzia is now one too. Loverly ain’t it?

  26. #26
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 8:02 pm, ArizonaNeanderthal said:

    I meant to add- George Allen must be happy ;)

  27. #27
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 8:27 pm, old trooper said:

    Given the verbage used I’d have put some lumps on his sorry A@@ too.

  28. #28
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 8:54 pm, JohnnyAngel said:

    Good grief. Two purse swingers going at it like a couple of hockey hooligans from the Charlestown Chiefs. Didn’t they remember that YESTERDAY was Halloween?

  29. #29
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 8:55 pm, JohnnyAngel said:

    OK, the day before yesterday…

  30. #30
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 9:02 pm, Pasadena Phil said:

    That’s what happens from watching too much “Three Stooges”. No TV for these guys for at least a month!

  31. #31
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 10:06 pm, Elm Creek Smith said:

    On November 2nd, 2009 at 8:54 pm, JohnnyAngel said:
    Good grief. Two purse swingers going at it like a couple of hockey hooligans from the Charlestown Chiefs.

    It was a comment like this that got Roig-Franzia’s a$$ kicked by the old man Henry Allen who was a Marine Corporal at Chu Lai.

    ECS

  32. #32
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 10:31 pm, mattm said:

    I’m sure they will find a way to blame Fox and Rush for the incivility they cause.

  33. #33
    On November 2nd, 2009 at 11:23 pm, thegreatbeast said:

    Once a Marine, always a marine. They don’t stand around and let twinkies call them ‘c*cks***er’ without taking issue with the miscreant.

  34. #34
    On November 3rd, 2009 at 1:07 am, irving said:

    Having worked at a newspaper, I sympathize with the person who attacked the reporter. I can remember a very experienced editor once shouting out in complete frustration, “Who writes this s**t??”

    You have to remember the average reporter is not terribly bright or very literate. Editing the drek they turn out is truly a job I do not envy.

  35. #35
    On November 3rd, 2009 at 7:59 am, BrianNY said:

    Allen lunged at Roig-Franzia, threw him to the newsroom floor, and started throwing punches.

    This story prompts the old question, “what is black and white and red all over?”

  36. #36
    On November 3rd, 2009 at 9:05 am, jangar said:

    The Washington Post Style section, for years known as “the sandbox” because it was a playground for sometimes immature writers

    Is this where liberal journalism students go for their internship?

  37. #37
    On November 3rd, 2009 at 10:04 am, slp said:

    Google Maps says and Street View confirms that the Post is located at 1150 15th St, NW, not SW.

  38. #38
    On November 3rd, 2009 at 10:13 am, pabarge said:

    Here is the guy who got his clock cleaned

    Hey, call me a c*ck-s*ck*er and I’d pummel this ‘mo also.

  39. #39
    On November 3rd, 2009 at 10:38 am, max said:

    My guess is that what Allen perceived as “mistakes” in the copy were probably egregious errors put into the story in order to defend dem corruptocrats and the One…

  40. #40
    On November 3rd, 2009 at 12:41 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    It should be noted that Allen is nearly seventy, but he served in the Marines in Vietnam.

    Semper Fi.

    Yeah, weenie boy gets his ass kicked by a 70 year old – I love it.

  41. #41
    On November 3rd, 2009 at 1:07 pm, cheapseat said:

    i wonder if eric holder will prosecute mr. allen for a hate crime? you reap all that pc crap you have sown wa-po.

  42. #42
    On November 3rd, 2009 at 2:38 pm, kudafa said:

    pabarge–thanks for the link. To be totally non-PC, & I do not apologize for it, this Roig-Franzia looks to me like he could use an occasional round of fisticuffs to help him man up. Perhaps everyone at the wa-po can benefit from a weekly session with Allen. And yes, anytime a MAN is called that, it is an instant & open invitation for a beat down, whether the MAN was a Marine or not.

  43. #43
    On November 3rd, 2009 at 5:09 pm, emjem24 said:

    Could we put this on pay-per-view? Let’s see these frauds fight for their jobs as a form of entertainment! I mean they don’t really capture the attention of the consumer anymore so perhaps this would be a good idea.

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